Pilots must constantly hone their aeronautical decision making skills.
Human Factors
Good judgment comes from bad experience
Often, it’s a series of small things that contribute to trouble in the air.
Human Factors: Fuel mismanagement
One of my nephews is really keen on becoming a pilot. I had some time over the summer, so I committed to flying a Piper Twin Comanche up to his hometown, taking him flying over to the coast, and flying back with a lesson involved. The flight from Wilmington, Delaware, to Cape May, N.J., proceeded […]
Sterile cockpit procedures
Something for all pilots to consider: 86% of all sterile cockpit violation incidents could have resulted in an near mid-air collision (NMAC).
Sterile cockpit?
Human Factors columnist Jeffrey Madison explores the relationship between the sterile cockpit rule, flight instructing and PIC.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself
The IMSAFE and PAVE checklists are essential tools for every pilot. While not regulatory, committing the letter – and the spirit – of the checklists will go a long way toward conducting yourself safely.
Crosswind landings: Worth the price to practice
Unless practiced, crosswind landings can bite a pilot. A look through NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) details some of those pilot’s bites.
Eche la Culpa
Presidential TFRs are complicated. These flight restrictions are temporary and, often, the boundaries keep moving. Furthermore, they can occur without warning anytime a president decides to travel. They are kind of like pop-up summer thunderstorms. They’re avoidable, but a pilot sometimes has to use every available resource to avoid them. A search of NASA’s Aviation Safety […]
Trust but verify redux
I flew co-pilot on a 19-seat turboprop during my airline pilot rookie year. One hot summer day, we landed at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (KROA), deplaned our passengers, and loaded up 19 more. We didn’t take on any more fuel because we needed to be as light as possible for the windy, high, hot and humid […]